There's a Frog on the Table

Kolleen Lucariello is one of the people in my life that I wish lived nearer, because I'd love to spend time with her—to laugh and learn. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she shares a humorous story with a profound application. "Mimi, why is there a frog on the table?"

Not wanting to disappoint my grandson’s prank, I replied, "A frog on the table, huh? I don’t know, Mason. Why is there a frog on the table?" 

I (Dawn) think this is such a cute story—and leave it to Kolleen to create a powerful application.

Kolleen continues . . .

"No, really, Mimi! There’s a frog on your table," Mason said.

I chuckled and made my way to the table. "Okay, let’s see this 'frog.'" 

"Oh! There IS a frog on the table." 

'See Mimi! I told you!" Mason exclaimed. "How did he get there?"

With a bit of confusion, I replied, "I’m really not sure." 

After Mason assured me that he did not bring the frog in and put him on the table, I began to consider all possibilities of how he did get there.

Glancing around the room it hit me—the hibiscus tree.

I'd taken my small tree outside to enjoy the warm sun and brought it back inside with the cooler temperatures predicted that night. It never occurred to me that a sneaky little frog would become attached to it; much less find its way to the kitchen table—but there it was.

In a place it did not belong.  

I can't say I blame the poor little critter. The tree was pretty, and the night was going to be chilly. However, the house was not where the frog belonged, so back outside he went.

We placed him by another pretty tree, said our goodbyes, and hoped he'd live a spectacular life free from any harm.

"A frog on the table"—I laughed for days over that.  

Every now and then I think about that little frog that found himself on our kitchen table, because he attached himself to a tree. 

I can relate. I've found myself attached to a few 'trees' of my own. I've hidden myself within devotions to friends and opinions; dreams and expectations—even a few attitudes and beliefs.  Yet, each one, at times, has left me clinging to a place I didn't really belong.

I'm sure we’ve all experienced bonds that have taken us away from where God intended for us to be.   

Mary Magdalene seems like someone who understood attachments. I envision her as a woman just barely holding on when she encountered Jesus.

What a defining moment that must have been for the woman whose life had been interrupted by tormenting demons—seven of them to be exact (Luke 8:2).

The Bible mentions some symptoms of demon possession: 

• speechlessness (Luke 11:14),
• blindness (Matthew 12:22), and
  
• convulsions and foaming at the mouth (Mark 9:17-27).

We don’t know the full extent of Mary's suffering; it certainly isn't difficult to imagine her life was unstable and hellacious.  

Mary was out of her natural element; that place God intended. Until one day she encountered Jesus, and He put her back in the place where life was enjoyable again.

Can you imagine it?  

One day she was attached to a tree of torment; and then, thanks to Jesus, she wasn't.  

What an upgrade Mary experienced when she attached herself to Jesus for the remainder of His days. She traveled with Him, financially supported Him, and she was watching as He suffered on the Cross.

She was the first to see the resurrected King and announce the news to the disciples.

Just as the frog had enough guts to let go of the tree he’d attached himself to and check out his new surroundings, Mary's relationship with Christ brought her the courage to let go of the life she'd been tormented by.

Her gratitude to Jesus is evident by her devotion to Him.  

Often, when we find ourselves attached to something outside of God's will, He sends help to lead us back to the place He intends for us to be.

For the frog, we were the help.

For Mary, it was Jesus.

When she connected with Jesus, she found the courage to jump right into a new identity. He will do the same for us.  

Mary Magdalene’s story instills hope within my own.

She helps me upgrade my thinking by showing me:  

• One encounter with Jesus has the possibility to change everything.  
• He brings power and authority to our relationship. If we allow Him, He will reveal and confront any unhealthy attachments. 
  
• When Jesus delivered her, Mary never looked back. Regardless of circumstance, she walked closely by His side.  

Mary was one of the many women who "went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God" (Luke 8:1, NKJV).

Perhaps she related well to David’s words,

"No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope" (Acts 2:26, NLT).

I imagine the women were held captive by her testimony as she shared her story.

Where are your attachments?

If you haven’t fully attached yourself to Jesus, I encourage you to stop hiding where you don't belong. Your heart will be glad; your tongue will shout His praise, and your body will rest in hope! It’s time.

How have "attachments" where God doesn't want you hurt your walk with Him? What can you do to "detach" from those hindrances today?

Kolleen Lucariello, #TheABCGirl, is the author of the devotional book The ABC’s of Who God Says I Am. Kolleen and her high school sweetheart, Pat, reside in Central New York. She’s a mother of three married children and Mimi to four incredible grandkids. She desires to help others find their identity in Christ, one letter at a time. Visit Koleen's website at www.speakkolleen.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pexels at Pixabay.

After the Remediation and Restoration Crew Left

Yvonne Ortega is a wise woman. She often surprises me with new spiritual insights. In this Transformation UPGRADE, she digs into the word "transformation" from a practical perspective.

“Two weeks after the mold and mildew remediation and restoration crew left," Yvonne says, "I could once again smell the mustiness throughout the house.

"I expected a transformed home—not an expenditure of $10,000, pride, and possessions in vain.”

Don't get me (Dawn) started on the problem of mold. It makes me sick and I'll do just about anything to get rid of it. Yvonne had a struggle too, but God taught her some beautiful lessons through the struggle.

Yvonne continues . . .

I couldn’t make sense of how that mold and mildew remediation and restoration situation fit with the word God gave me for 2021—TRANSFORMED.

Lessons Learned

First, the week before New Year’s Eve, I did a word study of transformed.

God took me just as I was. I did nothing to earn that salvation. As the Bible says,

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:5-6 NASB).

Being transformed included washing every part of me. I wouldn’t scrub and scrub on my own. The Holy Spirit would wash me and renew me.

God isn’t stingy. He richly poured out His Holy Spirit upon me through Jesus Christ, my Savior.

Jesus paid the ultimate price. He left heaven and died on the cross for my sins: past, present, and future.

The washing of regeneration would be a big cleanup job.

The visual before me is that one antibacterial wipe wouldn’t suffice to transform my soul. Neither would a caseload. God recognized my spiritual need and included all three persons of the Trinity in the process.

Second, I compared the transformation of a house to spiritual transformation.

God’s Word explains it this way:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2 NASB).

When I stepped into my home, it looked beautiful with the new air conditioner, the paint job and at least two hundred pounds less clutter and less furniture.

Transformation of the mind meant a deep inner cleaning.

I couldn’t help but remember the incident in which a Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him. He couldn’t believe that Jesus didn’t wash his hands before eating.

Jesus knew what he and the others thought and said,

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:25–26 NIV).

I want true transformation, not a false front.

Third, transformed meant my appreciation of lasting treasure would improve.

Now, my earthly treasure in the bank dropped as did the number of my earthly possessions. However, I have a deeper appreciation of my heavenly treasure.

The Bible tells us,

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33 ESV).

All these things are food, water, and clothing. See Matthew 6:31-33.

God promised to provide for our needs. As I “seek first the kingdom of God,” I want to be more like Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. What will that look like?

Paul tells us,

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22–23 ESV).

Please understand that I haven’t arrived. I am being transformed.

This search into the word "transformed" has led me to search the context of each scripture and related Bible passages. It also led me to the song, Lord Transform Me Theme Song—Transformed to Serve, which I found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hkIIHjY4sdI.

The remediation and restoration of my home now makes sense with the word God gave me for 2021. God has used it to teach me that my salvation and being transformed cost far more than what I spent on my earthly home.

Also, being transformed is a lifelong process:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

The Lord will continue His work.

What evidence is in your life that the Lord has transformed you? What word or Scripture has God given you for 2021?

Yvonne Ortega walks with a small footprint but leaves a giant imprint in people’s lives. She is the author of the Moving from Broken to Beautiful® Series through cancer, forgiveness, and grief. Yvonne speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles to help women find peace, power, and purpose through God’s Word. She celebrates life at the beach where she walks, builds sand castles, blows bubbles, and dances. Discover more about Yvonne and her ministry at www.YvonneOrtega.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Kayelle Allen at Pixabay.

A Season of Quarantined or Cocooned?

Joanie Shawhan is skilled at finding positive lessons in the midst of seemingly negative circumstances. In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, she writes about how the recent quarantine was, for her, a time of transformation.

"Frightened, bewildered and shut away—the hallmarks of this quarantined season," Joanie says.

Like many, I (Dawn) struggled many days with feelings of being shut away, but then the Lord showed me fresh insights about living. In the midst of great losses, many also experienced great blessings of spiritual growth.

Joanie continues . . .

I don’t understand why we’ve been engulfed in a pandemic and why so many people suffered the loss of loved ones and livelihood.

The following verse has challenged me:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NKJV).

“Trust me,” God says.

Do I trust nothing bad will happen? Bad things happen to good people, even God’s people. But I don’t place my trust in my circumstances.

I trust in the God who walks with me through all my seasons, including brokenness. 

As we emerge from quarantine, I wonder, were we truly isolated?

Maybe we’ve been hidden.

Sequestered away, I felt God had wrapped me in a cocoon, hiding me, sheltering me, drawing me to Himself. But the cocoon was not a place of inactivity.

Deep within, hidden, God was at work transforming me.

Maybe He has been transforming all of us—stripping away stinky mindsets, attitudes and trappings. Replacing dead works with His truth and love.

How we emerge from our cocoons, spun by the hand of God in response to the crisis, will depend upon the nourishment we received while hidden in Him. Nourishment that comes from His Word and His presence—healing and recreating us into His image. Restoring our identity in Christ.

While we were hidden away...

What qualities did God cultivate in our hearts? 

1. Faith

Our faith increased as our hearts responded to God's love and His goodness. We became confident He is for us and not against us.

2. Trust

We grew in trust, as we experienced God’s faithfulness even when we didn’t understand the whys of our circumstances.

3. Peace

We focused on Christ and His Word, calming our hearts in the face of fear and anxiety.

4. Love.

God continually reached out to us and drew us to Himself by His love, a love that never changes despite our weaknesses and failures.

5. Hope.

We know God moved on our behalf even when we couldn’t see any evidence of change. He promised us a future filled with hope.

6. Humility.

We recognized the situation we faced was out of our control and we couldn’t fix it. Only the God who created the universe could bring order out of this chaos.

Like butterflies, we can’t remain in the chrysalis forever.

We must also emerge, changed and transformed. But our beauty reflects the image of Christ.

What aspects of God might we manifest as we emerge from a season hidden in Christ?

1. Compassion — During our confinement, we learned to listen to God’s heart, His love and compassion for a hurting world.

2. Grace — God softened our hearts, reminding us everyone has a story. He enables us to extend grace to those whose viewpoints and feelings are different than our own.

I like John Stott’s definition of grace, “Grace is love that stoops and rescues.”

3. Joy — The joy we experienced in the presence of the Lord will flow through us to others. This joy will strengthen us as we move forward to fulfill our purpose and destiny.

God is looking for vessels transformed by His love, ready to minister to a hurting world.

We go forth with the compassion, grace and joy God instilled in us while we were sequestered away with Him.

We will be able to proclaim along with David:

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him (Psalm 40:3 NIV).

What transformation have you experienced during this season of confinement?

Joanie Shawhan is an ovarian cancer survivor, registered nurse, speaker, Selah Awards Finalist for In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, and radio and television guest. Contact Joanie: www.joanieshawhan.com.

Christmas: He Lives!

As I (Dawn) think about this Christmas, I can't help but think of people all over America, all over the world, who are without joy and hope. Yet I am also overwhelmed by the gracious gift God gave to humankind.

The offering of salvation. The opportunity for total transformation. The power of the Gospel to change everything!

The good news is, Jesus lives.

Jesus is as alive today as He was in that manger.

That does have the potential to change everything in our lives—better than the best "upgrade" you can imagine! Our hope is in Christ, "because He lives." (Don't miss the song at the end of this post!)

Though my blog is all about upgrading our lives, I hope you understand it's not about becoming "better" to win brownie points with God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We will never be made right with God through good intentions or works.

God's plan to save us does not encourage our comparing ourselves with others or becoming a person God never intended us to become. He has a unique plan and gifts for each of us, and it begins by receiving His free gift of salvation in Christ.

We are saved only by God's good grace; and an authentic Christian is "accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6).

I don't know how that makes you feel, but I know what it stirs in my heart.

I am profoundly grateful for God's mercy!

I rejoice today—

1. Because Jesus was willing to lay aside His glory and come as a tiny babe in Mary's womb (Philippians 2:7; Luke 2:1-20).
2. Because Jesus obeyed the Father in Heaven perfectly, even to the point of going to the cross (John 12:49; 14:31; Hebrews 5:8; 10:7; Philippians 2:8).
3. Because Jesus died on the cross as our substitute (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).
4. Because Jesus rose again to certify our victory over Satan and death—HE LIVES! (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:54; Hebrews 2:14-15; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Revelation 20:14)
5. Because Jesus lives forever as our great High Priest, Lord and King (Hebrews 7:24-28; Isaiah 9:7; Philippians 2:11; Revelation 19:16).
6. Because Jesus is coming again to receive us unto Himself (John 14:3).

The truth of the Gospel message is this: Only God can change our hearts.

When God UPGRADES us, we become more like Jesus.

• We desire to know the Father and His will (Colossians 1:9-12).
• We want to trust Him and obey His Word (Proverbs 3:5-6; Luke 11:28; John 14:15).
• We make intentional, wise, biblical choices regarding our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:16; 6:7-8; Colossians 3:17; James 1:5).
• Thus, we cooperate with the Father in the sanctification process—we desire to be holy because He is holy, and we grow spiritually. (Ephesians 1:4b; 1 Pet. 1:15-17).
• And we anticipate Christ's second coming (2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 2:13).

Though we think it all began with the baby in the manger, our "upgrade" really began in the heart of the Father long before the arrival of Bethlehem's Babe: 

"... he [the Father] chose us in him [Jesus] before the foundation of the world..." (Ephesians 1:4a).

He has blessed us in Christ and adopted us according to the good pleasure of His will "to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved [Jesus]" (Ephesians 1:3-6).

Take a moment or two today and talk to the Father.

1. Say thank you for His mercy.
2. Say thank you for Jesus, our Savior.
3. Commit to renewed holiness.
4. And take some time to praise the Lord for "his glorious grace."

We often sing “He Lives” at Easter, but I am taken by how it fits the Christmas season too!

"God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus...."

And He's coming again!

Because He lives, we can face anything.

Here is a beautiful song sung by Joni Eareckson Tada and Gracie Rosenberger—women with great disabilities, but also great purpose and joy. In “He Lives,” Joni and Gracie rejoice in the victory and hope we have in Christ. I pray this music will touch your heart and encourage you today.

Christmas Blessings to you!

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for Revive Our Hearts  and a writer at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in Southern California and have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesty of Kevin Carden at Lightstock.

What's Up with Sheep?

Becky Harling is funny and insightful, and always shares fresh insights for timeless truths. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she writes about sheep and their shepherd. But don't miss this fresh take on a common Christian theme.

"Throughout the scriptures, we are compared to sheep," Becky said. "Have you ever wondered why? I mean, what’s up with sheep? Right?"

I (Dawn) used to think, "Oh, how sweet. God describes His children as adorable little lambs." But there is much more to that picture, as Becky describes here.

Becky continues . . .

I did a little research and discovered some random facts about them that help me understand why God used sheep to describe us so often in scripture.

1. Did you know that sheep are fearful and easily panicked?

Who knew? Can you relate?

In our humanness, most of us are fearful. In fact, that is the number one concern I hear from women and men as I travel the world.

If panicked, we do stupid things, and you know what? So do sheep.

An entire bunch of sheep is easily prodded into a stampede. They have a mob mentality.

But here’s the thing, when sheep know the shepherd’s voice, His voice calms their fears and settles their panic.

This is why Jesus said, “I am the Good shepherd” (John 10:11). He also said His sheep "follow Him because they know His voice” (John 10:4).

Friend, if you want to calm your fears, get to know His voice.

2. Did you know that sheep get jealous easily and push for dominance?

Sound familiar? Maybe this hits too close to home, but it’s so easy for us to become envious of others, isn’t it?

This is the cry behind “That’s not fair!”

Our human tendency is to want life to be fair. If our friend has a beautiful home, we want one too. If our co-worker gets a raise, we want an increase as well.

Here’s the thing: according to the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), our Christian walk was never meant to be “fair.” If it was fair, we would all deserve hell, right? Praise God that isn’t the case!!

One of the most convicting stories of Scripture is when Jesus sits on the beach with His disciples after His resurrection. After He re-commissions Peter, He tells Peter how he will die.

Peter looks at his friend John and wonders if his death will be easier—he blurts out to Jesus, “What about him?”

Jesus replies, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (John 21:15-22).

Ouch! I love this story because it reminds me that I must never sink to comparing my life to another.

In Jesus’ kingdom, life may not seem fair, but it is good.

Our quest for fairness will rob us of the abundant life Jesus promised His sheep (John 10:10b).

3. Did you know that sheep are creatures of habits and they are resistant to change?

Many of us are creatures of habit as well. When God calls us to shift our thinking or embrace change, we panic or pout.

As our Good Shepherd, Jesus knows if we are going to live life to the fullest we must keep being transformed.

The truth is we can’t be transformed without change.

Friend, understanding our similarities to sheep can help us focus on Jesus as our Good Shepherd.

He’s the One who laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16).  

Which of these random facts about sheep best describes you today? How can you better relate to or trust in your Shepherd?

Becky Harling. Authentic. Passionate. Funny. Insightful. Becky is a frequent speaker at conferences, retreats, and other venues. She is the author of Who Do You Say That I Am?, Rewriting Your Emotional Script, Freedom from Performing, The 30 Day Praise Challenge and The 30 Day Praise Challenge for Parents. Becky is married to Steve Harling and has four adult kids and five grandkids. Visit her website and blog!

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pixabay.